Don't Let Me Go!
by NEWandKIC
Summary: Rin loves Sesshomaru, but believes that he could never feel the same way towards her. Which leads to Rin making a hasty departure. SessxRin Please R&R! Complete
1. Goodbye

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Now on with the story!

Don't Let Me Go!

Eight years has passed since Naraku was defeated. Rin was now eighteen and had grown into a gorgeous and deadly young woman. As a child she was helpless, but that had never really mattered because Sesshomaru had never had a problem defeating anyone who threatened her. But around the time Rin turned thirteen and started to _blossom_ over night the demon and human attacks began to increase rapidly. Rin did not doubt Sesshomaru's ability to protect her, but she felt guilty that he was having to fight to protect her so often. So by the time she was about fourteen she had convinced Sesshomaru to teach her how to defend herself. At first he only agreed to teach her a few basic skills, but she excelled quickly. So quickly that by the time she was fifteen, Sesshomaru acquired a small sword for Rin's use. Rin could only slay smaller demons at first, but eventually she became so skilled that Sesshomaru rarely had to unsheathe his sword.

Rin was sitting in the midst of some thick woods, remembering these things. She had been walking all day and was exhausted, but even now that she was so far away from him, it still hurt to think about him. She had convinced herself that if she left she would stop hurting, but of course she was wrong. "Why couldn't things have just stayed the same?! Then I wouldn't have had to leave. Stupid, Stupid Rin!" she thought to herself.

Flashback -

Sesshomaru stood outside of Rin's room, waiting for Rin to invite him in. He didn't like to just barge in on her, after all her room was one of the few places in the castle that she had any privacy. Moments earlier he had stood in the same spot and asked if she was in her room, and she had responded, yes. So naturally he was getting quite annoyed at her, but when Rin finally came to the door with a troubled look on her face, his annoyance changed to concern. That was the same face she had been wearing for over a week now, and the main reason he was there. As soon as Sesshomaru walked in Rin retreated back to her window and began to peer out over the Western Lands.

Still looking out the window Rin asked, "Is there something I can do for you, Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Tell me, Rin, why you have been so troubled lately. It is not like you." He replied in his normal, unconcerned tone.

Several minutes passed before she said anything, but when she finally replied, it was said so quietly, that only someone like Sesshomaru couldpossibly hear it. "I believe that it is time for me to leave and perhaps live in a human village, but I would like to have your permission first."

Sesshomaru had expected Rin to say those words someday, but he had never expected it to hurt as much as it did. He recovered quickly though, and simply asked, "Does that mean you are ready to find a mate and start a family?"

As soon as he said that Rin stopped breathing. It was only for a moment, but for her it felt like a lifetime. All she could think of to say was, "No."

Sesshomaru arched a brow and asked, "Then why?" Even to him it felt like a stupid question, but what was said, was said and he couldn't take it back now

Rin was very surprised by this. Sesshomaru usually didn't seem to care so much about what she did. Rin turned around to face him. She had been afraid to before and still was. Every time she looked at him she melted inside, but she just had to be strong now! "If I tell you, will you let me go?" she asked nervously. When Sesshomaru just nodded his head in agreement, she continued.

"Lord Sesshomaru, you see," she said sheepishly "I can never thank you enough for all that you have done for me; but, I just can't stay with _you_ anymore. Because – well – you see --"

Sesshomaru was getting tired of her dragging this out. He needed to know what he haddone to make her want to leave. "Just spit it out, Rin."

Rin knew he was right, but she hated it when he snapped at her, she always had. She winced slightly and then continued, "Lord Sesshomaru, I can't stay with you anymore because I love you." She mentally kicked herself. She had practically screamed the last three words at him! "I am sorry, Lord Sesshomaru, but that is why. I will get the items I will be needing for the trip, together andleave tomorrow morning." Then she bowed and walked out of her room.

Sesshomaru just stood there staring at the wall. You would not know it by looking at his face, but inside he was a complete wreck. He hated feeling like this. He hated it with every fiber of his being. His mind was screaming, "Did Rin just say she loves me?"

Rin ran outside to the garden. Being killed by wolves, hadn't been as scary as what she just did. She felt like she was going to throw up. All she could think was, "Why didn't he say anything?" Rin's eyes burned and she finally let herself cry. She had felt like crying ever since she decided to leave, and that was over a week ago! She had been crying for about fifteen minutes when she finally ran out of strength. She pulled herself back into the castle. Rin was sure that Sesshomaru knew she had gone outside, and she didn't want him coming to look for her. Pretty soon she found Jaken and explained to him that she was going to be leaving, and that she would need his help with her packing. Really she probably could have done it herself, but she wanted to spend a little more time with her dear guardian before she left. Jaken just mumbled that it was about time and lazily followed her around for the rest of the day helping her collect her belongings and reminding her if she forgot something.

The next day Rin got up really, really early! Something she hated doing, but did today out of necessity. She had to tell all of her friends goodbye before she left! Rin knew this would be painful, so she thought she would start with the easiest and work up to the hard one. First were the few servants that Lord Sesshomaru kept around to keep the castle in order when he was away and tend to his needs when he returned. Then Rin went to see her good friends Ah and Un, the two-headed dragon demon. She gave them both a hug around their necks like always, and then told them sweetly, "Thank you both so much for always protecting me, and letting me ride on your back, and for always being my friend! I love you both very much, and I will miss you always!" Then Rin started to cry again and Ah and Un wrapped their long necks around her as if to say that they felt the same, and that made Rin feel a little better. Awhile later Rin walked up to Jaken's room to tell him goodbye, but when she walked in she couldn't see him anywhere. His room was very dark.

She was about to leave when Jaken came bursting out of the darkest corner of his room yelling, "Wait, Rin, Wait!!! You can't leave yet! Wait!"

Rin was surprised and said, "Oh, Jaken, good I am glad I didn't miss you! What is wrong?"

Jaken, who was now very out of breath from the sudden action, looked very embarrassed, and stuttered out, "Rin – uh – I – uh – I will miss you, that's all. So don't go acting like it is some big deal."

Of course this thrilled Rin! She was so happy and sad that she forgot how big she was compared to Jaken, and scooped him up into a big hug. Jaken was screaming for Rin to put him down the entire time. When she did, she said, "Oops! Sorry, Master Jaken, I just wanted to say, thank you. Thank you for always watching out for me and taking care of me and stuff. I will miss you a whole lot!"

Rin was back in her room a little later, looking out of her window for the last time. The sun had risen about an hour ago. She sighed, that meant it was time to go, but she had one more person left to say goodbye to. _The hard one._ Rin approached his room. She was nervous, very nervous. She hadn't seen him since yesterday, and did not think she would even be able to look him in the eyes. Then before she knew it his name slipped out of her mouth, and there he was standing in front of her in all his majesty.

"I am leaving now, Lord Sesshomaru." She said while studying his shoes.

Rin looked so cute standing there with her face all red, he thought. What was he supposed to say? He couldn't tell her to stay, but he wanted to. He couldn't ask her to stay, because he couldn't give her a reason to do so. Then he realized she had looked up and was staring right at him expectantly, waiting for him to say something, anything. So he said the only thing that seemed to fit the situation. "Be careful, Rin."

That was it. Rin nodded, bowed, and began walking away. When she was far enough ahead silent tears began to trickle down her face and she whispered, "Goodbye, Lord Sesshomaru. I will miss you more than anyone else."

Maybe Rin had meant for Sesshomaru to hear it, maybe she hadn't. Sesshomaru didn't know, but he had heard it, and he kept hearing it as he watched her leave. Out of the large window in his bedroom the mighty dog demon Sesshomaru, watched as Rin, the woman whom he cared for more than anyone else in the whole world, walked out of his life forever.

The End, for right now. I will be adding other chapters soon. This isn't over yet, not by a long shot. I hope it didn't make you too sad. Please, please Review!


	2. Daisuke

Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own Inuyasha.

Rin had only been gone for two days, but everyone in the castle had already noticed a horrible change in Sesshomaru. It was almost as if he was back to the way he was before he met Rin, ten years ago. Even Jaken hadn't noticed over the years how much the little girl was changing his master, but he could see it clearly now. Sesshomaru found everything and everyone completely intolerable, and he could not even comprehend how he could have allowed so much foolishness and incompetence, from those who served him, for so long. For this reason, he kept himself locked in his bedroom as much as possible, and only left when it was ABSOLUTELY necessary. Sesshomaru had more important things on his mind.

Rin had been walking for a long time and her feet were killing her! She had not realized how hard just, walking could be, she was so spoiled to traveling with Sesshomaru. Whenever she traveled anywhere with him, Ah and Un were with them and she could just hop on their back whenever she got the slightest bit tired. "Oh! There he is again in my thoughts. Why can't I get him off my mind for more than two minutes?" Rin thought as she continued.

Just then she heard a man yelling, in the distance. Without even a second thought, Rin bolted in the direction of the cry. Moments later, with her sword already drawn, she found herself face to face with a ferocious looking demon. This particular demon was a good three times the size of Rin, and its eyes were each as tall as Master Jaken. It was about the color of sand, but its huge eyes were completely black. The site of such a demon would put most anyone, demon or human, in a frenzy or panic, but even though Rin was scared, she refused to show any sign of the fear she felt. That was one of the first things that Sesshomaru had taught her, because, he had reasoned, that any sign of weakness will give your opponent an edge. Clutched in the demon's smallish hands was a man, no more than twenty years old. The demon was nearly using the man as a shield, holding him directly beneath his eyes. Rin swung her sword at the demon and demanded he let the man go, but when the demon didn't oblige, she decided to wait and see what it's next move would be. Then the monstrous black eyes began to glow a faint pinkish color, and instantly out shot a thin, stringy light from where the pupils should have been. Rin had no trouble avoiding it, however, because she had been prepared for a much larger attack. Before the demon could lash out at Rin for a second time, though, she was already running straight at it. This horrified the young man who believed she was going to finish him and the demon off, but as soon as Rin got close enough she swung her sword directly above the man's head, missing him by only an inch, and slicing both of the demon's eyes in half. As soon as she did, the demon released the man and fell to the ground, dead.

Rin knelt by the man now covered in blood, and asked him, "Are you all right?"

He looked at the woman, amazed that someone who had just fought so ferociously in one instant, could be so kind and caring in the next. "Uh . . . Yes I am fine now! All thanks to you, young lady. I owe you my life! My name is Daisuke. Would you mind telling me what your name might be?"

Rin gave a hint of a smile and said, "My name is Rin. I think I saw a lake pretty close to here. I will take you there so you can get washed off."

Daisuke just nodded, and followed Rin into a small clearing where there was in the center of it a peaceful little lake, perfectly suited to his needs. When he was done washing the blood out of his hair, and off of his face, he noticed Rin sitting nearby staring off into space. So he went over to her and sat down. A couple of awkward minutes had passed when Daisuke finally poked Rin in the arm to try and get her attention.

Rin jumped at the sudden contact and said, "Sorry about that. I hope I wasn't out too long. I just have a lot on my mind right now."

Daisuke smiled and said, "Oh, that's okay Rin. So tell me, why are you out here all by yourself?"

"I am doing some traveling." Rin replied.

Daisuke found this very interesting, so he asked, "Where are you going and where do you come from?"

"Right now I am heading to the Eastern lands, but I don't have a particular destination in mind." Then Rin looked troubled and said, "I originally came from a place far south of here, but for the past ten years I have been living with _friends_, in the west." It had hurt Rin to refer to Sesshomaru as simply one of her friends, but she didn't know Daisuke well enough to explain to him how she felt about Sesshomaru.

Daisuke didn't understand what was troubling Rin, but he decided not to ask, because he didn't want to upset her more. "Rin, I myself live in the Eastern lands, but I have been visiting my aunt and uncle in a nearby village. I am sure they wouldn't mind if you lodged with us for the night, if you have no other place to stay."

Rin was a little uncertain, but decided it would be okay to stay one night. Daisuke led her to the village and then to his uncle's home. When they arrived, they were greeted by Daisuke's uncle and aunt, and when Daisuke told them about how Rin had saved his life, they happily welcomed Rin into their home, just as Daisuke had predicted they would. Rin ate well that night and slept on soft mats in a spacious guest room, but it still took her many hours to finally drift off to sleep.

Sesshomaru was in his room once again, peering out the window, in the direction she had gone, when he heard someone at his door. A few minutes passed, and Sesshomaru finally said, "You might as well come in, Jaken."

Jaken crept into his room, and told his master, "Pardon me, Lord Sesshomaru, but dinner is ready to be served."

Sesshomaru just kept staring out the window, saying nothing as if deep in thought. Then he turned to the nervous toad demon and asked with absolutely no emotion, "Jaken, what do you think I should do to get Rin back?"

Jaken just stared at his master, completely shocked. For one reason, Sesshomaru had never acted like he cared in the slightest what Jaken thought about anything, and because he had never imagined that Sesshomaru would have any desire to get Rin back. "You could demand she come back."

Sesshomaru had already thought about that. But would it actually work? He wasn't sure. "She would ask why." Sesshomaru said more to himself than to Jaken.

Jaken sighed, she was a very curious girl, and she always did ask too many questions. "Maybe you could just tell her that you want her to, and that she wouldn't be safe in a human village." Jaken suggested anxiously.

Sesshomaru then turned back to the window and said, "I will not be eating tonight. Now leave, Jaken." He was acting as if the conversation had never happened.

Jaken knew better than to say anything more to Sesshomaru, with the mood he had been in lately, and quickly replied, "Yes, Milord!" and departed leaving Sesshomaru once again, alone with his thoughts.

The next morning, Jaken was surprised to find Sesshomaru packing the things he took whenever he went on a journey.

"Are we going somewhere, Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken asked curiously.

Sesshomaru didn't stop what he was doing, he just replied, "No, _we_ are not, but _I _am."

Jaken must have realized where Sesshomaru was going because he just nodded, and went back to doing what he had been doing previously. An hour later, Sesshomaru was gone, heading in the direction that he had seen Rin take only a few days earlier. He still didn't know _exactly_ what he would say to her, but he couldn't stand just sitting around and doing nothing any longer.

Rin woke up, stretched, and was about to gather her belongings and leave when she heard someone at her door.

"Rin, are you awake?" said the familiar voice of Daisuke.

"Yes, I just woke up a few minutes ago, actually. Come in." Rin replied.

Daisuke came in carrying a tray filled with an array of delicious things for her to eat for breakfast. He handed the tray to Rin and then sat down beside her while she ate. When she was done, he said, "Rin, I have a proposition for you. It is about time for me to go back to my own village, and I assume you will be leaving today. I thought that since neither of us has any traveling companions, perhaps we could travel together."

Rin was surprised by this, and so she sat there for awhile thinking over all the pros and cons, "I could certainly use the company, and Daisuke seems to be a friendly man. Then again I don't know him very well, and he might try to do me some type of harm while I'm asleep. I am sure that I am too alert to let that happen, and I could easily defend myself if he did try anything."

Rin was taking a long time to decide, and Daisuke took that as a bad sign, so he said, "You know Rin, I have a strong horse, and we could take turns riding her so that our feet wouldn't get too sore."

"In that case, I would be honored to travel with you, Daisuke." Rin answered, with a small smile.

That is the end of chapter two. I didn't focus quite as much on Sesshomaru this time, but I will try and make up for it in chapter three. I really hope you liked it! Please Review!


	3. Remembering

Sesshomaru had been following Rin's scent for only a day when he noticed the strong smell of blood, about a mile away. The possibility of her being in serious danger inspired him, and within a few minutes he was at the source of the scent. Luckily, all he found were the remains of a minor demon that Rin must have slain a couple of days earlier. He cursed himself for being worried over such a pathetic demon. _He_ had trained Rin to fight, after all, so this demon was probably not even a challenge for her. Then he detected the scent of a human, but this wasn't Rin's scent, it was that of a man. Rin had saved humans from demons many times in the past, which was what must have happened.

Sesshomaru followed their scent to a lake and sat down below a nearby tree. It was getting late, so he would stay the night here and continue his journey in the morning. "It is so quiet here, almost peaceful." Sesshomaru thought, as he stared out over the water. "Rin, must have liked it here, her scent is still strong, but I suspect she hasn't been here in a day or more." He frowned inwardly. The man's scent was still strong as well. "It would be idiotic for me to feel jealous of this man spending time with Rin." He reminded himself. "He could be a child or an old man, and they just met a few days ago. He shrugged it off, this wasn't the first time he had felt jealous of other men spending time with Rin."

Flashback -

The first time was when she was sixteen, still a girl, he had thought. A minor demon in comparison with Sesshomaru, the son of the Lord of the Southern Lands, had met Rin while visiting the castle, on business with his father. He had taken an immediate liking to Rin, even though she was constantly threatening his life whenever he got too close. Of course, he was smart enough to only try to get close when Sesshomaru was not nearby. One day he got clumsy; he had seen Rin walking outside into the gardens, and so he had followed her. Somehow he had managed to sneak up behind her while she was bent over picking flowers. Just as his hand was about to reach for her butt, he saw a blur of white and then found himself soaring through the air. He landed about ten yards away, face down in the dirt. When he rolled over his eyes were filled with horror, when he saw Sesshomaru staring coldly at him, with the sword Tokijin pressed to the young demon's throat. After watching the demon squirm for a little while, Sesshomaru let the demon go, but insisted that he and his father leave immediately.

End of Flashback

"At first I didn't fully understand what made me lash out at him the way I did, all I knew was that when I saw what he was trying to do, I lost control of myself. I was jealous. Even now I hate to admit it, even to myself."

Sesshomaru stirred himself from his memories, the sun had just set, and the moon was beginning to cast its pale light. "I have to remember the reason I am doing this, to get Rin back. Sometimes I think my life really would be simpler if I had never met Rin, yet I cannot imagine my life without her. Before I met her, I never thought of putting anyone before myself, not a demon, and especially not a **human**. The moment I revived Rin, all that changed, my fate was sealed. I would have to protect her. This posed as a disadvantage to me in battle, because I could not focus wholly on my opponent. But even when I have been beaten to a bloody pulp and am at my weakest, she still looks at me as if I'm invincible, and then flash me one of her radiant smiles. Nothing has ever made me feel so strong and yet, so weak at the same time. I do not fear any demon or human, but I fear the way she always makes me feel. I have known for a long time that I want her, but Rin is a human and I am a demon. That is never going to change. It would never work out. I would just end up causing her more pain than I already have. For those reasons, I can never let her know how I really feel about her."

Flashback (A little over a year ago) -

"Master Jaken, look out!" Rin screamed. Just seconds before a colossal tree could crush Jaken, Rin jumped off of Ah and Un who had been flying above, and flung Jaken out of the way. Rin, Jaken, and Ah and Un had been waiting for Sesshomaru to return when out of nowhere they had been ambushed.

A skinny little demon laughed in his high, shrill voice, "Ha ha! Just missed him! Oh well, I just have to try again. This time I will aim for you to, little girl! " Then he began bouncing from tree to tree with lightning speed. Each time he bounced into a tree it would catapult him to the next one, and with each hit he grew faster and the surrounding trees got weaker.

Before Rin had time to decide what to do next, she found herself trapped in a circle of trees, all dangerously close to falling on top of her. Rin thought to herself, "What am I going to do now! He has me completely surround–" Crack! The first tree plummeted to the ground mere inches from Rin. She didn't have any time to waste, because almost as soon as the first tree hit the ground the next tree fell, and the rest followed suit, leaving Rin barely able to escape each tree as it fell. Two minutes later, the forest fell silent. "This is creepy. Where did that stupid demon go?!" she wondered. Crack! Then she felt something slam into her head. It hit her with such force that she lost consciousness for a few minutes. When she opened her eyes, everything was blurry, and when she tried to move she found she could not.

"Ha ha! Hee hee! Ha! I got you! I finally got you! You're stuck. You moved quickly but not as quickly as I. Now I will get the pleasure of killing you with your own sword. Oh! The irony!" the skinny little demon cheered.

As soon as Rin heard this, she reached for her sword and found that truly, he had taken it. To make matters worse, she realized she was pinned beneath a tree four times her size! Even if she could have been able to move her arms or legs, there was no way she would be able to move the tree off of her. She was completely helpless.

Before she could reply, the demon jumped onto the tree, pushing Rin even further into the ground. Then ran the tip of Rin's blade across her pale cheek, causing her to gasp, as her warm, sticky blood trickled out. Rin couldn't take anymore, right before she slipped back into unconsciousness she whispered, "Lord Sesshomaru."

Rin slowly opened her eyes, and gasped when she realized that her head was resting gently on Sesshomaru's lap. "What happened, Lord Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru stared down at her, and began, "You were passed out under a tree when I found you, and a demon had your sword. I slew him."

"Oh, that's right. I fainted. I am sorry, Lord Sesshomaru." Rin said regretfully.

Sesshomaru then started rubbing some type of slimy liquid onto her cheek. "This will keep your cut from scarring."

Rin smiled, "Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru just nodded and finished applying the medicinal _slime. _When he was done, Rin tried to sit up, but made it only a few inches, before a pain shot thru her head, and she was forced to lie back down. She was going to try again, but Sesshomaru held her shoulders down firmly, and explained, "You will stay here. You are not well enough to move. Get some rest." Rin nodded, and fell asleep a few minutes later.

The light from the campfire illuminated Rin's face, and enhanced her remarkable beauty. Sesshomaru found himself completely mesmerized. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't look away! Then the strangest thing happened. For just a moment the corners of his lips curved upward into a smile, and then as suddenly as it had come it, disappeared again. "Holding her like this– it feels right. That doesn't make any sense. She is just an ordinary human woman!" Sesshomaru thought. Then Rin rolled over, in her sleep, snuggling dangerously close to Sesshomaru. He sighed, and whispered to himself, "Perhaps I am wrong about her. Because I truly believe, that no _ordinary_ human woman, could ever make me feel this way."

End of Flashback

A dark mood had begun to over shadow Sesshomaru. "I have to stop doing this to myself!" he thought. "Why can't I get her out of my mind? How did I let this happen? The answer is the problem. The answer is simple. I fell in love with Rin."

Miles away, she rolled onto her side for the twentieth time that night. "Uh, I can't sleep!" Rin thought as she quietly got up. She tiptoed past Daisuke, who was sleeping soundly, and walked deeper into the woods, away from their campsite. Finally she stopped under a large tree and sat down, pulling her knees up to her chest. "I need to get some rest, tomorrow is going to be another long day, even though having Daisuke's horse has made things easier. Maybe I need to slow down a bit? I don't believe my traveling companion is used to going at such a fast pace. He hardly ate anything before falling over, asleep tonight. I guess I am just used to Sesshomaru's steady pace." Rin sighed. "There he is in my thoughts again! I don't know why I am so surprised? When you spend ten years with someone, your two separate lives are bound to become intertwined. So thinking about him is totally natural, right?" Rin sighed again, and hugged her knees even closer, before whispering into the cool night air, "I miss you, Lord Sesshomaru."

You have reached the end of chapter three. I am so sorry it took so long! Did you love it or hate it? Please let me know! Chapter four, coming soon!


	4. Shippo!

When Daisuke awoke, he looked around expecting to see Rin up and prepared to leave already, but she wasn't anywhere to be found. So he went off to go and find her. He had only been gone ten minutes when he realized he was completely and hopelessly lost. "Luckily, it has _only _been ten minutes.How far away could I have gotten in that amount of time?" Daisuke wondered.

Only a little deeper in the woods, Rin also awoke. "Oops! I guess I finally fell asleep. I hope Daisuke isn't worried. Oh, who am I kidding, he is probably not awake yet." Rin thought, as she shook off the last remnants of sleep, before heading back to camp. Upon arrival, she was surprised that Daisuke was gone, but not really worried, because he had to come back soon, all of his belongings were still here. One hour passed, Rin grabbed her sword and mounted Daisuke's horse. "What is taking him so long? Something must have happened." She thought.

"Help! A demon!" Daisuke cried out. Hovering in front of him was a huge, pink demon.

(That looked shockingly, like a big balloon.) It was laughing menacingly, and a strange green flame encompassed it.

The demon floated closer to the now visibly shaking Daisuke, and said, "I am the great and powerful Shippo! Cower before me, puny human! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Rin had arrived a few minutes earlier, and was hiding behind some bushes, watching the whole scene. She felt sorry for poor Daisuke, but was having trouble containing her giggles. She looked around and spotted a large rock laying on the ground a few feet away. "Hmm, that gives me an idea!"she thought, with an evil grin. Rin picked up the rock and tossed it at Shippo's head. It was a direct hit!

"Ow!" Shippo yelped. Then he transformed back into his true form in midair, sending him hurdling to the ground.

Daisuke took advantage of this opportunity, and ran off into the woods, screaming, before Rin could stop him.

Shippo now sat on the very hard ground, rubbing a growing bump on his head. "That rock came out of nowhere!" he thought. Just then, he sensed someone standing behind him. Shippo whirled around, and stared up at Rin, who was grinning evilly.

"Hi, Shippo, you okay?" Rin asked.

Shippo jumped to his feet, and replied, "That rock hurt! What did you do that for?"

Rin stopped smiling and shot Shippo a glare and replied, "Why were you trying to scare that man? He happens to be a friend of mine."

Shippo pouted and said, "I wasn't gonna hurt him! I was just having a little fun."

"Scaring people you don't know shouldn't be _fun_." Rin said. She was desperately trying to keep a serious face, but it wasn't easy with Shippo.

Shippo hung his head and said, "Ya, I guess you're right, Rin. I'm sorry."

Rin smiled and gave Shippo a friendly hug. "Okay, but don't tell me. Tell Daisuke."

Shippo perked back up, and said, "Who is Daisuke?"

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru was about to lose it. "I have passed two suitable, human villages that the man could have stayed in. So why can I still smell him with her? I want answers, now." he thought. Just then, he noticed some men coming his way, so he ducked behind a tree and waited until they got closer. Finally he whipped out from behind the tree and grabbed both of the men by the necks.

They were both horrified, but the younger of the two was able to stutter out a few words.

"P–pl–please don't hurt us, demon! Please, we beg of you! Spa–spare us!"

Sesshomaru was not fazed, in the slightest, by these pathetic humans, and maintained his cold, emotionless stare. Then he asked them, "I am searching for a woman, who goes by the name of Rin. Recently she has been traveling with a male companion. If you value your lives, you will give me any information you have about them."

This time the older man spoke up and said, "I'm sorry, b–b–but we don't know anyone by that name."

Sesshomaru growled then threw them both aside, explaining, "Worthless humans, I have no further use for you." Both of the men were still in shock, but didn't hesitate to run away frantically.

"Daisuke! Daisuke! Where are you?" Rin yelled, as she proceeded further into the woods. "You can come out now! The danger is gone!" She heard some leaves rustling, and then Daisuke was standing in front of her grasping her hands warmly.

"Oh! Rin you are safe! I was sure that the horrible demon had devoured you. Were you able to slay it?" Daisuke asked, his face full of concern.

Rin smiled and said, "Well, actually . . . No."

Daisuke looked confused. "What do you mean, no?" Rin motioned for Daisuke to turn around, just as Shippo emerged. "Ah! The demon!" Daisuke yelled.

He was just about to run when Shippo spoke up. "Wait! Don't run. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm sorry about earlier. I was just trying to scare you. I wasn't ever planning on hurting you, honest!"

Rin could see the doubt in Daisuke's eyes, so she said, "He's telling the truth, Daisuke. Shippo is a friend of mine. Uh... Daisuke, why are you still holding my hands?"

When he heard that last sentence, Daisuke **immediately** released Rin's hands, and jumped back, at least ten feet, out of embarrassment. Then he muttered, while violently rubbing the back of his neck, "Uh . . . Sorry about that, Rin."

It took him several more attempts, but Sesshomaru finally found someone who had seen Rin. But what he found out, worried him greatly. The old man, who had given Sesshomaru this information, said that he had seen a young woman who fit Rin's description, a few days earlier. When Sesshomaru had _questioned_ him further, the old man also divulged that she was indeed traveling with a man. He then described the man, as about twenty years old, tall, and handsome. That was not what Sesshomaru had wanted to hear.

"I could have easily tracked Rin down, by now, but I didn't! I allowed my pride to hinder me somewhat, and now I am regretting it. I will not be hindered anymore. Tomorrow I will face her." Sesshomaru decided.

Rin, Daisuke, and Shippo had returned to the place where Rin and Daisuke had camped the night before, and Rin was preparing everyone some lunch. Daisuke was sitting by himself, as far away from Shippo as possible, sulking about having to share his food with a demon, and his embarrassing moment with Rin.

Shippo sat down by Rin and asked, "So, where are Lord Sesshomaru, Jaken, and Ah and Un."

Rin stared down into the stew she was preparing for a long time, trying to think of the right words to say. Finally she replied, in a quiet voice, "I felt like I couldn't stay with Lord Sesshomaru, anymore. I love him, Shippo. I am in love with Lord Sesshomaru! But, I know he will never love me. He is a demon and I am a human. I shared my true feelings with him, and he allowed me to leave."

Shippo had listened as his friend struggled to explain her situation, and now he helplessly watched her weeping. "Rin, uh, I don't really know what to say, but I'm, uh, really sorry. Everything is going to be okay."

Rin stopped crying, and wiped her eyes. "Thanks Shippo, I needed to hear that. It has been rough, not having anyone to talk to." Then she gave him a _small _reassuring smile, to let him know that she was going to be okay.

Shippo returned the smile and then asked, "Can't you talk to Daisuke?"

"No, I haven't told him anything about Sesshomaru, yet." She replied.

"Why not?" Shippo asked.

Rin shrugged, and said, "I suppose, the right opportunity, just hasn't presented itself." Shippo and Rin said their goodbyes after everyone had finished lunch, and she and Daisuke continued on their journey.

Early the next day, they came across a village that had very recently been plundered. There were no survivors. Rin knew she had to do something!

"Daisuke let me borrow your horse for a while, alright? I am going to go find whoever or whatever did this. You stay here." Rin said, and mounted the horse, but before she could leave, Daisuke mounted the horse, as well. "What are you doing? I told you to stay here! It is too dangerous for you to come along!" Rin exclaimed.

He replied, forcefully, "I don't care. I am not letting you go by yourself."

Rin knew she didn't have time to argue so she agreed. She pushed the horse to gallop at it's fastest pace, but was still surprised when they found the culprits, shortly after leaving the village. The situation was worse than Rin had feared. There were at least a dozen filthy thieves and murderers there.

It took unbelievable strength that she didn't even know she had, to destroy all of the lowlifes, but she had done it. Rin and Daisuke rode away, but as soon as they reached a clearing, Rin stopped the horse and slid to the ground.

Daisuke rushed to her side. "How could I not have noticed how injured you were?! I am sorry, Rin! Forgive me!"

"My injuries are not that serious. I just . . . " She couldn't say it.

Right then he noticed her eyes. They weren't calm and steady like the day they met. No, now they were completely different. They were filled with fear. "Rin, what is wrong?"

Rin took several deep breaths to calm herself down enough to explain, "When I was very young, bandits killed my entire family, right before my eyes. That is why I **hate **fighting humans. I was afraid the entire time I was fighting, butI couldn't let it show. Sometimes, hiding my emotions can be just as difficult as the battle itself."

"Rin?" Daisuke said, nervously.

"Yes?" Rin replied. As soon as she lifted her head to look at him, Daisuke leaned in and kissed her.

Sesshomaru saw him kiss her. He didn't have to wonder if what he had seen was real, because it had been obvious. It was without a doubt, a kiss. It took him less than a second to escape to another spot almost a mile away. He was furious. He knew he should kill that man for what he had done. It did not matter to him whether she had wanted the kiss or not. After about a minute of this fuming and ranting, he began to think more clearly. When he did, he realized that he had already started to walk in their direction, but he stopped himself, for a moment. Then he saw Rin, in his mind. Could that man really make her happy? Could he risk taking that away from her? And what if she would hate him for killing him? He couldn't let her hate him, **never**.

You have reached the end of chapter four, but not the end of the story! Oh! And I wrote the last paragraph, in this chap., almost a month ago, for a school assignment. PLEASE REVIEW!!!


	5. Crimson Slime

Flashback -

"Rin?" Daisuke said, nervously.

"Yes?" Rin replied. As soon as she lifted her head to look at him, Daisuke leaned in and kissed her.

End of Flashback

Daisuke anxiously awaited Rin's reaction. He waited and waited and waited. Finally he couldn't stand it anymore! "Rin, please say something!"

She sighed and said, "Sorry, I just . . . I was trying to find the right words, but I don't think there are any . . . I had no idea you felt that way about me. I am so sorry, Daisuke!"

Daisuke tensed. Then he asked, "Sorry about what?"

Rin had been staring at the ground, up to this point, but now she looked at Daisuke. She took a deep breath and then replied, "My heart belongs to another . . . When I was a small child, I met a noble man that had been greatly injured in battle. I tried to befriend him and offer him my assistance, but it was to no avail. Not long after we met, I was attacked by wolves," she shuttered at the painful memory, then continued. "and to my surprise, he saved me. From then on, I began following him wherever he went, not as a servant, but not exactly as a friend, either. He never tried to make me stop following him. In fact, whenever I was in danger, he would protect me. After about two years of traveling nearly constantly, he began to settle down somewhat, and we began spending more and more time at his home in the west. Many years passed and I grew up. When I was about fifteen, I began to develop feelings for my lord. At first, I didn't really give it much thought, but over the next two years my feelings continued to grow. It got to the point that I couldn't deny them any longer. I had fallen in love with him . . . That is the reason I am traveling to the Eastern Lands. I understood that he could never return my affections, and because I knew that, I also knew I couldn't bear to live with him anymore . . . I should have told you before. I didn't and now . . . Can you ever forgive me?" She said.

Daisuke tried to comprehend what she had said. He didn't really know how to describe how he was feeling. He couldn't be mad at Rin, because he cared about her too much, but under these circumstances, he couldn't be happy either! He let out a **huge** sigh, and then told Rin, "You didn't do anything wrong, Rin. There is nothing to forgive. Perhaps, we could both try and forget this ever happened, and continue on our journey, as we did before."

Rin agreed and they went on there way. Despite their efforts, they traveled mainly in silence for the rest of the day.

Rin thought to herself, "That was the second time I have had to talk about Lord Sesshomaru, in the last two days. This is getting very redundant. I will never be able to get over him if I am always talking or thinking about him! Because every time I do, my emotions get all stirred up again, causing **me** more pain. Being away from him was supposed to make me feel better! Uh! Have I gone too far to turn around? Yes, of course I have, but – No! No, buts! It will get easier. I know it will. _It has to._"

Sesshomaru is always put together, in control, visibly emotionless, and always knows what to do in any situation. _Usually_. Not this time. More questions then answers flooded his mind, and they were making it hard for him to keep his anger in check. To make things worse some ridiculously strong demonic aura was approaching, at a breakneck pace. Sesshomaru was quite wrapped up in his musings, and didn't notice the demon until a few seconds before it attacked. Luckily, a few seconds was all the time Sesshomaru needed, and he easily dodged the attack.

This demon was like none Sesshomaru had seen before. Its skin was the color of crimson, and some sort of slime was oozing out of pin-sized holes that covered the creature's entire body. His hair was longer than Sesshomaru's and wrapped several times around most of his body, forming a cloak.

"You appear to be a formidable opponent, but looks can be deceiving. I am Hiro and I am going to destroy you." The demon stated, calmly.

Sesshomaru wasn't impressed. This pathetic demon hardly seemed worth any effort, but judging by the ferocious look in his eyes, he was not going to back down. "I suppose I will have to eliminate him. I don't have time for this!" Sesshomaru thought. He then drew Tokijin, and in one fluid movement swung at the strange demon. To his surprise, Hiro swiftly dodged that attack, and the next attack. Sesshomaru was about to attack once more, when he noticed something very strange was happening to his opponent. Sesshomaru stopped and watched him.

The crimson demon was growing; he was blowing up like a balloon! Suddenly an eerie silence descended upon the two, followed by, what can only be described as an explosion of demonic aura. Smoke filled the air, and noxious ooze, that had the color and texture of blood, covered everything within a mile.

The blast was not powerful enough to kill, but powerful enough to knock Sesshomaru off his feet and onto his back. He moved to get up but found that he couldn't, the slime that the demon had emitted was keeping him stuck to the ground! When the smoke finally descended, Sesshomaru could see Hiro slowly approaching.

"Did I not warn you that looks can be deceiving? I was not just referring to you." Hiro said, with a smirk. "My slime will soon kill you, one way or another. I could leave now, but then I wouldn't get to see you suffer, and that wouldn't be much fun. Would it?"

However, before Sesshomaru could reply, the ooze sprung to life. It shot off of the surrounding tree branches like rain, piercing into Sesshomaru's skin and ripping thru his clothes, making him slightly more vulnerable than before. Blood flowed out of his wounds, while the slime flowed into them, injecting poison into his blood stream.

Sesshomaru knew he would die if he just laid there. That was when he realized he was still holding Tokijin! He focused and was able to wedge the sword firmly into the ground. Grasping the hilt firmly, he managed to pull himself off the ground.

Hiro, who had been watching, applauded. "I am truly impressed. That particular attack usually kills my enemies instantly, or at least paralyzes them. Oh well. This just makes things more interesting."

"You are too arrogant, pathetic demon, to even think that you could kill me so easily. Prepare to die." Sesshomaru calmly replied. With that said, he produced the Whip of Light and with unrivaled elegance and skill began a series of consecutive attacks, most of which Hiro was able to dodge. Finally, the whip struck, severely slicing into Hiro's abdomen.

He retracted the Whip of Light and was about to strike the final blow, using his Poison Claws, when behind him, a thick puddle of slime transformed into a spike and stabbed into his back. Almost instantly Sesshomaru's golden eyes turned blood red. His demonic aura began to grow rapidly and violently swirl around him as he transformed into his true form.

Sesshomaru now appeared truly horrific. A massive amount of blood and slime had stained and matted his otherwise glistening white fur, and his mouth was opened so that his fierce canine fangs were visible. He snarled and then charged at Hiro, barely missing him.

By now, Hiro had regained his composure, after being severely injured, but was ready for this battle to be over. He called part of his slime back to him, and quickly formed it into a strong surrounding barrier.

Sesshomaru attacked the barrier several times but it would not break! Finally, he rammed the top of the barrier, where it was thinnest, and it cracked. He smirked. The crack was small, but it was a start. He was about to try again, when the barrier began to crack on its own. Slime began spraying out of the cracks. Because of the gash that Sesshomaru had inflicted upon Hiro earlier, Hiro had not been able to generate more slime like he had done in the beginning. That was why he had formed the barrier. The barrier had protected him from Sesshomaru's attacks, giving him time to fill up the entire barrier with slime, creating intense pressure. Now, because of the crack that Sesshomaru had created, and the intense pressure, the barrier was about to blow! Sesshomaru realized what was happening, but it was already too late.

The sun would set soon, but Rin and Daisuke kept going. Daisuke had begun noticing familiar landmarks about an hour ago. "You see that really tall boulder over there, Rin? The one with all the intricate carvings."

Rin replied, "Ya, I do. It's really beautiful!"

Daisuke smiled, "It's not just beautiful. It is a marker. Once we pass that boulder we will be in the Eastern Lands. My village is about a half an hour from here." Daisuke turned around and realized that Rin wasn't behind him anymore.

Rin had stopped at the base of the boulder. She called out, "I'm over here, Daisuke."

He walked over to where she was in time to see her climbing up to the top of the boulder. "What are you doing?"

She kept climbing, but said, "Wait for me, okay? I want to take one last look at the Western Lands."

Rin was very high up already, so Daisuke had to yell his response. "All right, but be careful!"

When she finally got to the top, she sat down on the edge facing the west, and let her legs hang off the side. "My home, my friends, my life, and _my heart_ are all in the Western Lands," She thought, as tears began to well up in her eyes, "but tonight I will be in the East. **The point of no return. **I just don't know if I can go through with this." She couldn't hold back the tears anymore, so she let them fall. Rin stood back up and took one last look. "Goodbye." She whispered through her tears.

Rin was about to descend the boulder, when . . . Boom! She immediately looked in the direction of the noise. Miles away, something had exploded! Numerous trees had been uprooted. The air was filled with dust and debris. Crimson slime engulfed everything, and thousands of shards, the same color as the slime, littered the ground. But Rin didn't see any of this. All she saw was a gigantic white blur, speckled with red, falling from the sky at a breakneck pace.

That was all she needed to see! She raced down the boulder, nearly scaring Daisuke to death. "Daisuke! I am so sorry, but I can't travel with you anymore. I have decided to stay in the Western Lands." She tried to explain quickly. "I know this doesn't make any sense, but I have to go. I will never forget you, Daisuke." She wrapped Daisuke in a quick embrace, and then ran back into the forest her and Daisuke had been traveling through all day.

Daisuke just stood there, motionless. Then he yelled after her, "Goodbye, Rin!" He sighed, Rin had run into his life and now she had run out of it.

Wow! Finally done with chapter five! I am so sorry it took me so long to update, and I don't even have a good excuse. I hope it was worth the wait. Please Review!

P.S.

This is Chapter Five 2.0. One of my readers noticed some spelling and grammatical errors in the original, so I did a revision. Thanks again, Kikinu!


	6. Together

Disclaimer: I haven't done one of these in a while, but better safe than sorry. I do not own Inuyasha.

Boom! Sesshomaru's body was suddenly wracked with excruciating pain. Pieces of the former barrier stabbed into his weakened body, not to mention, he was coated in a thick layer of slime.

Sesshomaru's eyes were wide open, but he couldn't see anything as he plummeted to the ground. He was literally blinded by rage! His carefully honed self-restraint had disappeared, and an unquenchable desire to live had taken over. Mere seconds before he collided with the ground, Sesshomaru realized what was happening and was able to land safely.

Hiro merely stared; in the utterly weakened state he was in, he couldn't do much else. The explosion was supposed to have been his final attack, yet a powerful demon still stood before him, seemingly unfazed and more determined than ever. Then he saw something, or at least he thought he did. It had happened so quickly that no human and few demons would have even noticed. A grimace. Hiro could feel his confidence returning. His attack may not have had the desired effect, but it did have some effect. He still had a chance!

In the blink of an eye, battle commenced. Sesshomaru attacked, and Hiro just barely dodged it. Sesshomaru attacked again, and again his opponent was able to escape. After several attacks, Sesshomaru noticed something strange was happening to him. The slime that coated him was starting to burn, and the longer he battled the hotter it got. The heat became so intense that he struggled to breath. All of the injuries that he had suffered were now affecting him simultaneously. Sesshomaru began to feel dizzy, he couldn't see straight, but he could still faintly detect Hiro's presence. He would have to focus all of his remaining energy into a final attack.

An eerie silence filled the forest. Sesshomaru's demonic aura began to form an invisible cloud around him. Then in a mighty burst of energy he leapt forward and with one swipe of his claw Hiro and all of his crimson slime disintegrated instantly! The battle was over. Sesshomaru transformed back to his human-like appearance, and with great difficulty, began to drag himself into the forest. He didn't make it very far, however. Exhaustion set in and he collapsed at the base of an immense tree.

Rin ran tirelessly, mile after mile. Almost all rational thought had abandoned her the moment she had seen **him**. Somehow, she had known, almost instantly that the strange blur she had seen was Sesshomaru. "I have to keep going! I am almost there! Sesshomaru, please don't die!"

The sun had already set long before she arrived at the clearing where the battle had taken place. Rin didn't see him at first. What she did see was a **lot** of blood. Fortunately, she noticed a trail of blood leading out of the clearing and into the forest. Hesitantly she followed the trail, and then she saw him.

He did not look good. Sesshomaru's clothes were torn, he was covered in blood, and he appeared to be unconscious. Rin silently approached him. She was within arms length of him, when Sesshomaru's eyes shot open and he let out a deep growl. This startled Rin, and she instinctively recoiled. "Lord Sesshomaru." She said apprehensively.

The moment Sesshomaru heard her say his name he realized who it was. "_Rin_." Sesshomaru felt a rush of pain and slipped back into unconsciousness. Rin rushed to his side. "Lord Sesshomaru!"

Rin stayed up all night, cleaning and dressing his numerous wounds. When she was finally done, she decided to try to get some sleep. Unfortunately, even though she was physically and emotionally exhausted, her mind refused to rest!

Sesshomaru slowly opened his eyes, letting them adjust to the light. He was slightly disoriented, and couldn't remember exactly what had happened to him. Then he tried to move, and a wave of pain shot thru his body. The pain caused his mind to be flooded with memories. The kiss, the battle with Hiro, and then . . . Rin. "She was here. I saw her. I heard her voice. But that's impossible. I must have been delusional." Just then, he noticed a familiar scent. It was growing stronger and then -

"You're awake." Rin said, as she emerged from the forest.

He looked up at her and replied cooly, "What are you doing here, Rin?"

Rin smiled nervously and then said, "You were injured, so I've been taking care of you, Lord Sesshomaru. It's the least I can do after all the times you've taken care of me." He simply nodded.

Just then, Rin noticed that blood was seeping into Sessshomaru's robe. "Lord Sesshomaru, you're bleeding! You must have opened up the gash in your back. I need to apply pressure to it." A pale blush started to form on her cheeks. "It would be easier for me if you could lie face down."

"Fine." He said. So with the utmost care, Rin helped him remove the top part of his robe and armor then position himself on the ground. Despite her best efforts to be as gentle as possible, he had to stifle several groans.

Sesshomaru lay on the ground bare from the waist up; while Rin tried to stop the bleeding by firmly pressing a cloth to the wound. Finally, she was able to get the bleeding under control, but Sesshomaru remained where he was, as she applied a medicinal slime to the gash.

"How do you feel?" Rin asked. Sesshomaru didn't answer. He had fallen asleep. This didn't surprise her. The only times she had ever known Sesshomaru to sleep was when he was badly injured or when he was at the castle. "His sleeping habits are one of the few things he has in common with his brother Inuyasha." Rin thought to herself.

She stroked his pristine silver hair, carefully, so as not to wake him. "I honestly don't know which hurts more. Being without him, or being with him."

The next couple of days were blissfully uneventful, which granted Sesshomaru time to heal properly. He and Rin didn't talk much, and when they did she was usually the one doing most of the talking.

Currently, Rin was busy preparing herself breakfast. Sesshomaru watched her in slience. She was leaning over a small fire, roasting some edible roots she had found, while humming a light and airy tune, as the wind blew through her long dark hair. He could not help but be mesmerized. It would have been a truly perfect moment, if not for the internal struggle that Sesshomaru was experiencing. "I need to ask her about **the kiss**. I cannot put it off any longer. The only reason she came back was to take care of me. Now that my injuries have healed . . ."

Meanwhile, Rin was having an internal struggle of her own. "What am I going to do? He is almost entirely healed . . . I **have to **leave." She briefly gazed at him over her shoulder. "I just wish - I wish it didn't have to hurt **so** much."

After Rin finished eating her breakfast, she sat down next to Sesshomaru and pulled her knees up to her chest. They sat quietly for a few minutes, before Sesshomaru broke the silence. "Rin, I saw you kiss _that man_." He stated calmly.

"You did?!" Rin managed to squeak out.

Sesshomaru replied, "Yes. Now, I want you to tell me who he is." Then he added, "I don't really care. I'm just curious."

Rin was horrified at first, but then it dawned on her! "He said almost the exact same thing to me ten years ago!"

Flashback -

It was the day after we met. Some of the men from the village I lived in had beaten me quite badly earlier in the day, and it showed. I was wearing bandages and had several visible marks. When I brought him some food that evening, he refused to eat it because it was **human** food, but before I left he asked about what had happened to me. I didn't answer. Instead, I just smiled at him. Then he told me something along the lines of, "I don't really care. I'm just curious." But I knew better.

End of Flashback

Sesshomaru glanced at the almost uncharacteristically quiet Rin. She was smiling at him. It was a real smile, full of joy. He certainly hadn't expected that. "Why are you smiling?" He asked.

Rin shook her head and said, "Oh, it's nothing, Lord Sesshomaru. - Now to answer your question, his name is Daisuke." She then proceeded to tell Sesshomaru how she and Daisuke met and everything that had happened to them up until the kiss. Of course, she carefully left out a few details, such as, the sleepless nights, and bitter loneliness, despite being in the company of others. Those sorts of things. "Oh, and Daisuke kissed me. I did not kiss him. He is a really great guy, but I don't like him like that."

He felt like an immense weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Unfortunately this feeling would not last long.

"Lord Sesshomaru, are you alright?" Rin asked.

Sesshomaru replied, "Yes, of course."

"I'm glad." She said. "Because, Lord Sesshomaru, you see - I think it is time for me to go." He didn't say anything, so she assumed that meant that he understood. Rin arose and hurriedly collected her things. Sesshomaru stood as well. All too quickly, she was ready to leave.

The first time she left him she had studied his shoes, but this time she was looking him in the eyes. Sesshomaru looked into her eyes and what he saw shook him to his very core. He saw _true love_, _longing_, _pain_, _confusion_, and every other emotion she was feeling at that moment.

"Goodbye, Lord Sesshomaru." She turned around and began to walk away.

Sesshomaru had to stop her. "Rin -" He was cut short, when Rin wrapped him in an embrace! Without hesitation, Sesshomaru returned the embrace, and then held the young woman as she cried uncontrollably.

Finally, she calmed down a little and said, "Please, Lord Sesshomaru. - Don't let me go! It nearly killed me to leave you once. I don't think I can do it again!"

"There is something you need to know." Sesshomaru said. He repositioned her a little so that she was still close to him, but he could see her face. Rin noticed gentleness in his actions and in the way he was looking at her that was quite unexpected. "Rin, until I saw that man kiss you I had every intention of bringing you back."

Rin couldn't believe she was hearing this! She managed to mutter, "What! But why?"

Sesshomaru had been prepared for this question and had devised several good, if not great, answers, but he did not give Rin any of these. He brushed a strand of hair out of her face, and then he replied. "I love you, Rin."

It took her a full minute to comprehend what he had said. It was just so **unbelievable**! Her eyes fluttered shut and a radiant smile lit up her lovely face. Rin opened her eyes and said sweetly, "I love you too, Lord Sesshomaru." Then she saw something truly miraculous! Sesshomaru smiled! A brief, but genuine smile.

"You may call me Sesshomaru, if you like." He said, in his normal monotone voice.

Rin giggled, and replied, "I would love that, _Sesshomaru_."

Sesshomaru leaned in and lightly kissed her lips. He then kissed her once more, except this time it was **far** from gentle. Rin wrapped her arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss. Some time later, Sesshomaru reluctantly pulled away to allow Rin to breath.

Rin looked up at Sesshomaru and asked, very seriously, "Sesshomaru, will you promise to love me forever?"

Sesshomaru replied, "You should not ask such ridiculous questions, Rin . . . but yes, **I promise**."

The End. I have truly loved writing this story, and I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed. FYI! I am planning to write a sequal. Probably not any time in the **very **near future, though. As always, PLEASE REVIEW!


	7. Sequel!

Author's Note -

I am thrilled to announce that I have finally published chapter one of the sequel to this story. Please check it out, and, by all means, let me know what you think!


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